[speed kills]

Carsmith Motors is a multi brand car service centre that has opened its doors opposite Agara Lake, near Jakkasandra signal (where Lemon Grass restaurant used to be) https://goo.gl/maps/voYJNM8sPSx.

I’ve been going there for my weekly car wash for the past couple of months & I must say, the quality or work, attention to detail & the products used for the wash are miles ahead of the competition.

The place is run by a young gentleman named Mr. Vishwas who is an automobile engineer & he’s very passionate about what he does.

Services Offered:

• Car & Bike Wash (Steam or Pressure wash)
• Detailing (Exterior & Interior)
• Car Servicing
• Body Shop Service
• Wheel Alignment & Balancing
• Cosmetic Restoration's
• Nitrogen Filling
• Performance Upgrades (RaceDynamics Diesel Tuning Box & BMC Filters)
• Accessories (Air Fresheners, Hella & Bosch Wipers, Microfiber Cloths etc.)

Since I have only availed their car wash, my views are purely based on what I've experienced during my visits here.

What I like:

• Products used are from Chemical Guys.
• Every nook & cranny of the car is taken care of (including the underbody).
• I've noticed them using separate microfiber cloths for the lower half & the upper half of the car.
• Another thing I've noticed here is, once the microfiber cloth is soaked, they are not wrung out & reused on the car. Instead, they use a dry microfiber that is fresh out of the laundry.
• The interiors are vacuumed. The insides of the windshield & all windows are cleaned of smudges & other marks.

What I don't like:

• The entire process takes a good 90-120 minutes. Since there's only one employee who takes care of the wash.
  
• According to the owner, since this is a relatively new setup (about 10 months old), they are facing a lot of initial operational hiccups which comes with any new setup. They are hoping things will smoothen out as time goes by.
  
• They prefer appointment based services more than walk-ins because of the initial operational challenges.

Contact: Mr. Vishwas at +91-9886799890

All in all, I've been a happy customer of theirs for the past couple of months & I'm more than happy to see a setup like this pop up in the neighborhood.

Here are some pic's I've taken over my previous visits.

[srinath34]

Nice find Prashant!!

Do you mind sharing the price for the wash and if they have slabs for hatches, sedans, SUVs etc?

That Great Dane looks majestic. I can see it drooling at your alloys

[speed kills]

Originally Posted by srinath34

Nice find Prashant!!

Do you mind sharing the price for the wash and if they have slabs for hatches, sedans, SUVs etc?

That Great Dane looks majestic. I can see it drooling at your alloys

Thanks Srinath.

They charge 450 for a hatchback, 550 for a sedan & 650 for an SUV.

[arvindmanju]

Last month I had been to Carsmith to get the anti rust silencer coating for my cousin's Safari.
I found them to be very honest with their job, as mentioned by speed_kills they take a long time, but did a excellent quality job!
Before getting the car off the ramp, the owner paid special attention to small details and made sure they have done the best job.
some pics of the task they did on my Safari.

Overall a very happy customer.

[anshumandun]

I was looking to write a review about Carsmith Motors and found that this thread already exists.

While on a bike ride with the BROZ (Bangalore Riders of Z800), I met a fellow rider Vishwas. While talking, got to know that he runs a service center in HSR layout called Carsmith Motors and has good experience in the VAG cars. I was really happy by this find since we have 2 VAG cars in the family and it would be good to have an enthusiast we know to take care of our cars.

I haven't had a chance to take my car to Carsmith yet but a friend recently got his Polo's 60k kms service done there on my advice so this small review is based on his experience. The ASC had given him a long list of parts to be changed but he was skeptical of visiting ASC as he had a bad experience with them earlier. So I asked him to talk to Vishwas and decide if he wants to get the service done there. He decided to give it a shot and came out satisfied in the end. This is what he told me after the servicing:

1. ASC had told him to replace engine oil, oil filter, air filter, AC filter and spark plugs. But only the engine oil and oil filter was changed. The air filter and AC filter were cleaned and put back. The spark plugs were also adjusted and reinstalled.

2. He kept getting videos and photos of the work being done on his car through whatsapp. Now this is a big plus in my opinion as this helps build trust. This is just the opposite of the policy of ASCs to not let customers in the work area.

3. He paid 6900 in total out of which 3000 was the service charge. I'm just wondering what the ASC would have charged for the 60k kms service!


My GT TSI still has 2 years warranty left so I might still go to the ASC for service for 2 more years but I'm definitely thinking about taking my dad's Q3 to Carsmith for next service.

PS: I am not affiliated with Carsmith in any way but the owner, Vishwas, has become my good friend as we meet often on bike rides.

[Red Liner]

Interesting. I need some suspension work done on my figo old gen. I wonder if they will be up to it.

[anshumandun]

Originally Posted by Red Liner

Interesting. I need some suspension work done on my figo old gen. I wonder if they will be up to it.

I think yes but don't know for sure. Let me know if you need their contact details to get in touch with them.

[hrman]

I just gave my Rapid TDI 2012 for the 52k kms servicing (6th year) to Carsmith Motors.
All these years, I have never given it to anyone other than Vinayak Skoda. This was the first time I was considering a FNG after the positive reviews on this thread .

Pros:
1. Vishwas is knowledgeable, solution oriented and has a no nonsense approach. Pleasant person to interact with and even the other service staff were prompt and good in responses.
2. They keep updating you on whatsapp with pictures and videos where required of the replacement parts and progress of oil change.This is a big plus.
3. Honest pricing and more trust and transparency. Price difference of total service cost is not much compared to the ASC. But you are confident that they are not going to rip you off compared to the ASC, where the fear always lingers.

4. They will repair rather than replace where required, compared to the replace only policy of ASC.

5. I also had the comfort that they are not going to update the Rapid with the emission software, which I feared if I had taken it to the ASC.

Cons mostly in comparison with the ASC:
1. The spare parts availability is dependant upon other vendors. So for a simple service spare like an Air filter and oil filter, the parts arrived in the evening of the service day, so I had to take delivery the next day and lost one day.
2. They need to inform upfront of what they are going to do and give the quote while taking the car in for servicing. I had used the driver drop facility, so maybe this was delayed in my case.

It has overall been a positive experience. Will recommend them to BHP car owners for service and I will give my car to them in the future.

[red.devil_19]

I had been to Carsmith Motors a couple of months back to get a few niggles fixed on my Chevy Beat.

The idea was to explore whether Carsmith Motors can be a reliable FNG given that my car is out of warranty and I'm not really sure how the Chevrolet Service Centers will continue to operate.

I had a road trip to Goa coming up and I wanted to get the following things fixed before the trip:
1. Rattling noise from Caliper Pins
2. Grinding noise while applying brakes after a cold start
3. Couple of Rattles on the dashboad and driver side door

I had fixed up an appointment in advance and once I reached there I was immediately attended to by the service advisor. I explained all the issues and he promptly prepared a job card. We went for a test drive to demonstrate the issues I had. They confirmed they could here the ratting from the caliper and the grinding noise when braking. They advised to grease the calipers and shim the brake disks. These disks were the original ones that came with the car and had done 50k kms in 5.5 years. So I thought its worth getting it shimmed. For the caliper noise I told them that greasing had been done a few times previously at the Chevrolet Workshop but the noise always returned after a few weeks. They said they'll first try to grease the pins and then look at other options.

So I left the car with them as it would take a day or two to fix these issues. However, it seemed they ended up having some issues with shimming the disks. They don't have a lathe to do the machining themselves, instead send it to an external lathe shop to get it done. After three days they said the car is ready and I went to pick my car up.

However, I was in for a shock. After the shimming operation, I found the car was shaking violently when trying to brake from speeds in excess of 60 kph! This is a classic sign of rotor warping. This issue was not there at all in the first place and I was quite unhappy that the shimming operation had actually messed up the brake disks. Anyways, they said they'll send it back to the lathe shop again to fix it. The caliper rattling was also not resolved.

It took another couple of days to get it done and I went back to check the car. Again, the same issue. I was beginning to get annoyed as this is something they could have easily found out by testing it at the right conditions. However, this time the owner, Mr. Vishwas himself came and decided to check out what the issue was. He went for a long test drive with me on the electronics city flyover and tested it at higher speeds. It was quite evident there was a lot of vibrations when braking. The caliper rattling noise was also present. I told him I was not very happy as this should have been fixed before my arrival. He assured me that he'll get it fixed for sure.

Mr. Vishwas said, that its best to not go for further shimming of the disks as there is only so much material you can remove till it becomes unsafe. So he asked me to have the brake disks and caliper pins replaced with new ones. To his credit, he decided to forgo the charges for the shimming. I agreed to it, as I wanted to give them another chance. I paid for the parts in advance as they had to procure the items. I decided to get the car back as it would take 6 days for the parts to arrive. After a week I went back and they got to work on my car immediately. The work was quickly done and I went for a test drive. And voila! All the rattles / vibrations were gone! They had adjusted the bill to remove the charges for the rotor shimming and I paid only for the parts and labour.

Overall, it was a mixed experience which was initially bad but ended well. But I would recommend Carsmith Motors to others and go back to them for the simple reason that they did not just give up on the job. The owner took time out to sort out all the issues and that is something I appreciate. I'm myself in the service industry and have made some mistakes due to various circumstances, to which my clients have been understanding and given me the opportunity to correct my work. These guys seem honest and committed. They stuck to the job and gave me a solution which I had been looking for quite some time. It's been two and a half months since they worked on my car and my car has run more than 3k kms since then. Happy to report that there are no rattles from the calipers nor any grinding sound from the brakes!

In terms of pricing, don't expect anything cheap. It felt at par with Chevrolet Service Centers. However, the quality of the job is far better and you can trust them so provide the solutions you're looking for.

[aniyo]

I have been a customer of Carsmith for the last 2.5 years. I read about them first on this forum. As I was living in Koramangala 1st Block this was just few hundred meters from my place.

I own a Brio and have got it serviced at this place for the last 2.5 years. I liked the service and Vishwas is generally involved in the service process. I got my car serviced on last Saturday and this time it was handled by a person called Feroz.

For the last 2 service they have used ENI 5W40 fully synthetic oil. I was skeptical last year when they suggested but went ahead with the oil. It has held up well and Carsmith insist that the car needs to be serviced only once a year and a general check-up once in 6 months if needed. I used the same ENI 5W40 oil again.

During my last week service they asked if I want to use Cera Tec for the engine and Liqui Moly for the engine flush. I went through few experiences on Team Bhp, esp the members who owned a SX4. Decided to give it a try. Will have to wait for 1000Km to update on this. I always thought that Cera Tec was used for Turbo engines but Carsmith people insisted that it is used even for a NA engine.

The only gripe I have with the last service that they soiled the seats (needs washing anyway) a bit during cleaning.

Pros:
1. Professional staff ensures your complaints are heard and resolved.
2. Honest: Don't force to buy stuff. When I asked to change the brake pads, they told all four are fine and no need to change. Even the air filter is fine and they cleaned it. Asked me to change after 6 months.
3. Timelines: They don't commit unreal times. I was told it will take 2 days due to rush and delivered accordingly.
4. Not very expensive: General service cost about 2.5K and with oil change about 4-4.5K. My last service was about 7K including oil change, Ceratec additives, Liqui Moly flush and general service.
5. Transparent: They generally send photos or videos about the work done. I really liked this part.

Cons:
1. They don't have too many working hands, so getting a slot is difficult.
2. Good for general service but I have no experience with any major work. Though one of my friends got his AC repaired and other work on his Chevy Beat and he seems to be happy.
3. No choice of parts. I wanted to try Mobil or Shell but they use only ENI for cars.

Overall I am quite satisfied with the service and would recommend anyone who wants a general service, maintenance and resolution of niggles.
I have seen quite a wide variety of cars services at this place. Right from my humble Brio to CRV and even old Merc. I will share the photos and videos of the service shortly as they are on whatsapp. I have attached the invoice for reference.

[dark.knight]

Finally some sane pricing for washing.. 3M and the other branded cartel makes 4 figure prices seem ordinary for what is basically waterless washing, insane.

At these prices I wouldn't mind taking the car once in a couple of months or so for a full wash and vacuum. Thanks for the post.

[Parth46]

Originally Posted by aniyo

For the last 2 service they have used ENI 5W40 fully synthetic oil. I was skeptical last year when they suggested but went ahead with the oil. It has held up well and Carsmith insist that the car needs to be serviced only once a year and a general check-up once in 6 months if needed. I used the same ENI 5W40 oil again.

During my last week service they asked if I want to use Cera Tec for the engine and Liqui Moly for the engine flush. I went through few experiences on Team Bhp, esp the members who owned a SX4. Decided to give it a try. Will have to wait for 1000Km to update on this. I always thought that Cera Tec was used for Turbo engines but Carsmith people insisted that it is used even for a NA engine.
......
3. No choice of parts. I wanted to try Mobil or Shell but they use only ENI for cars.
.

This is bit of a bummer, especially for a private, independent garage which shouldn't have these weird limitations. I have a service appointment with them for my City on Thursday the 13th, and I've been WhatsApp-ing with them for a few days now.

They insist that I'm not allowed to carry my own choice of oil, and that they use ENI oil exclusively. On further probing they mentioned that they have a wide range of oils that I can choose from including Mobil1 & Shell and that I can choose from that, but I can't bring my own. I'm a bit confused now with your feedback that they have only ENI.

I'm very particular about the engine oil I put in my IVTEC to keep it revving in it's maniac fashion. How's the ENI oil working out for you? And more importantly, how's the CeraTec performance? Most people report a significant improvement in engine smoothness and refinement and wondering if you've experienced the same. Very curious since my car is a petrol, non-turbo car like your SX4. Thanks for your inputs.

[aniyo]

Originally Posted by Parth46

This is bit of a bummer, especially for a private, independent garage which shouldn't have these weird limitations. I have a service appointment with them for my City on Thursday the 13th, and I've been WhatsApp-ing with them for a few days now.



They insist that I'm not allowed to carry my own choice of oil, and that they use ENI oil exclusively. On further probing they mentioned that they have a wide range of oils that I can choose from including Mobil1 & Shell and that I can choose from that, but I can't bring my own. I'm a bit confused now with your feedback that they have only ENI.



I'm very particular about the engine oil I put in my IVTEC to keep it revving in it's maniac fashion. How's the ENI oil working out for you? And more importantly, how's the CeraTec performance? Most people report a significant improvement in engine smoothness and refinement and wondering if you've experienced the same. Very curious since my car is a petrol, non-turbo car like your SX4. Thanks for your inputs.

Hi Parth46, I had a word with them for interior detailing and they mentioned during our chat that they use ENI regularly unless the owner has strict requirement for other brand. They use motul for bikes.
Good part is that they will share photos and videos with you for the work carried out.. I will upload mine.

I don't own a SX4, I have a brio. I was referring to SX4 from na engine perspective.

Regarding the cera tec too early to say. Just done about 100 kms since service. Should feel the difference after few more hundred kms. Wife mentioned the car is smooth from before not sure if it just the servicing and oil change.

[hrman]

So I gave my Skoda Rapid, 2012 model, run 57k kms for the 7th year service. This was my second annual service with carsmith. All the pros from my last year's post continue.
In addition, they have further ensured the common spares (Filters) were available the same day and delivered my car the same day. This is now a big positive. Engine oil didnt need replacement as I had run only 5k kms since the last change. As per advice, it was good for another 5K kms. They delivered the car in good clean condition and with reasonable service cost. Very courteous service advisor and staff. Timely update of video and photos on whatsapp and approval sought before carrying on any works. No unnecessary add ons.

Overall been a positive experience and all my next services will be only at Carsmith.

[fiestarry]

Originally Posted by anshumandun

I was looking to write a review about Carsmith Motors ...

I haven't had a chance to take my car to Carsmith yet but a friend recently got his Polo's 60k kms service done there on my advice.
1. ASC had told him to replace engine oil, oil filter, air filter, AC filter and spark plugs.
3. He paid 6900 in total out of which 3000 was the service charge. I'm just wondering what the ASC would have charged for the 60k kms service!
.

I just happened to read this old post and was reminded of my experience with Skoda, Chennai.
I had taken my Fabia for 60k service. I asked them to give me an estimate; this would help me decide which of those jobs I could postpone for the next service.
To my utmost horror, I was quoted ₹ 101500...yes you read correctly, ₹ 1,01,500 .
At my shocked enquiry, I was told with an air of nonchalance that this included replacement of clutch, timing belt and entire brake system. The final nail in that awful coffin was that he said, " labour and other potential work would be charged extra with VAT and S Tax as applicable".
Unsurprisingly, that was the last time I visited a Skoda A$$.